The Old Gods are the gods of religions and cultures that were brought over to North America by human activity and survived there even after their worship stopped. The universe of American Gods slightly alters the historical chronology of the discovery of America.
In this universe, most of the theories of "early Pre-Colombus contact" with the American continent are true, explaining the presence of gods belonging to very ancient civilizations. As Mr. Ibis explains it: "This country has been Grand Central station for ten thousand years. A group of nine old Gods living as anchorites in Montana anchorites are religious persons who isolate themselves from society.
They were killed by the New Gods during the "cold war" of the first Interludes , poisoned with carbon monoxide by an old furnace. In the television series, the Caretaker mentions them in Donar the Great , revealing that their death was the work of Black Briar agents.
Also called Bean Sidhe. She is mentioned three times in the novel: she listed among the gods brought to America by Odin in Chapter Six , she is mentioned as one of the numerous tales told by Essie Tregowan in the "Coming to America" section of Chapter Four and finally she is listed by Mr. Ibis as one of the spirits brought by the Irish immigrants in Chapter Eight. In the television series episode Treasure of the Sun Mad Sweeney believes that a trio of mourning women at Ibis and Jacquel Funeral Parlor are banshees announcing his imminent doom though their true nature is ambiguous, as Sweeney is drunk and suffering a mental confusion, while Salim claims they are human women here for a funeral.
Frau Holle is the fairy tale version of Frau Holda , the Germanic protectress of agriculture and women's crafts. She may derive from older, Scandinavian forest creatures known as the huldra , one of whom makes an appearance in The Monarch of the Glen. She is merely mentioned by Odin in the novel, but in the television series she appears at the meeting at the House on the Rock and at the Motel America diner in " House on the Rock episode ", played by Colleen Reynolds.
